System and method for fastening ceiling tiles

ABSTRACT

According to the present invention, a rail assembly and method is provided that allows secure mounting of ceiling panels to the rails, while at the same time allows extraction of the ceiling panel from the room below without damaging the ceiling panels or the underlying frame.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to fasteners for ceiling tiles and, more particularly, it relates to fasteners and their use in facilitating hanging framing for ceiling tiles and removably attaching the tiles themselves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Drop ceilings have been installed in commercial, residential and industrial settings. A common problem with drop ceilings are that when there is a need to remove a single panel, many other panels may need to be removed to allow removal of the panel of interest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A rail assembly is provided that can be used with ceiling panels to make drop ceilings that are easy to install and that allow ceiling panels to be securely mounted and removably mounted so that each panel may be removed without damaging the panel or the underlying rail assembly. The rails may be made in different sizes and shapes and different clips to accommodate the edge profiles, shapes and strengths of different ceiling panels.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a rail assembly includes at least one rail having an elongated body, a supporting edge protruding along the length of the body and a threaded cavity along the length opening adjacent to the supporting edge. The assembly further includes a clip having an outward spring bias and an adjacent pair of boundary faces. At least one ceiling panel may be received by the rail, where the ceiling panel has a ceiling side and outer edges. The panel securely fits between the supporting edge and one of the pair of boundary faces of the clip and the other boundary face impinges on an edge of the panel applying a spring loaded compressive force to the edge of the panel.

The rail assembly is designed to be installed into a ceiling or supporting structure to create an array of openings to receive ceiling tiles or panels, which terms are used interchangeably herein. According to one embodiment, at least four of the at least one rail is mounted on a ceiling forming a substantially enclosed shape with the supporting edges, wherein the supporting edge of each of the rails has a width. The outer edges of the ceiling panel overlap the enclosed shape by a length that is less than the width allowing the ceiling panel to be removed by compressing the clips in two dimensions.

The rail assembly may be used with square, non-square rectangular or other polygonal shaped panels that are substantially planar.

According to another embodiment, a method of using a rail assembly to hang a drop ceiling includes steps of installing, selecting, attaching and mounting. The installing is used to install at least one rail having an elongated body, a supporting edge protruding along the length of the body and a threaded cavity along the length opening adjacent to the supporting edge. The selecting is used to selecting at least one clip having an outward spring bias, the at least one clip including an adjacent pair of boundary faces. The attaching is used to attach the at least one clip to the rail and then a ceiling panel having a ceiling side and outer edges is mounted to the at least one rail. According to an embodiment of the method, the panel securely fits between the supporting edge and one of the pair of boundary faces of the clip and the other boundary face impinges on an edge of the panel applying a spring loaded compressive force to the edge of the panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The above described features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated with reference to the appended figures in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a side view of a rail for supporting one or more ceiling tiles, an attached clip and a mounted ceiling tile according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts another view of a rail for supporting one or more ceiling tiles, an attached clip and a mounted ceiling tile according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A-3C depicts a clip according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts a method of installing a ceiling panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a method of removing a ceiling panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to the present invention, a rail assembly 10 is provided that can be used with ceiling panels to make drop ceilings that are easy to install and that allow ceiling panels to be securely mounted and removably mounted so that each panel may be removed without damaging the panel or the underlying rail assembly. The rails may be made in different sizes and shapes and different clips to accommodate the edge profiles, shapes and strengths of different ceiling panels.

Generally, drop ceilings are provided with an underlying frame which hangs from a ceiling or support structure and supports ceiling panels. The panels may have a regular shape and be installed on a pitch.

Referring to FIG. 1, the rail assembly 10 includes a rail body 200, a clip 100 and a ceiling panel 300. The rail body 200 is generally hung from the ceiling or other structure and may be arranged to create a frame with square, rectangular or other shaped openings to receive an array of ceiling panels 300 on a pitch, although a precise pitch is not necessary and there may be variation in the sizes and shapes of adjacent ceiling panels.

Referring to FIG. 2, according to one embodiment of the invention, the rail body 200 includes one or two supporting edges 260 as shown. The supporting edges 260 may enclose a cavity 240 that facilitates attaching materials to the rail. The cavity 240 formed into the body may be threaded as shown or unthreaded. The rail body may further include boundary edges 210 and 220 that form sides of the body. Between the boundary edges and formed within the body may be an additional cavity 250 that facilitates attachment of a clip. According to one embodiment of the invention, the cavity 250 may be threaded to receive a screw to attach the clip 100 to the rail 200. The rail body 200 may further include another cavity 230 that facilitates attachment of the rail to a support structure or to other material. According to one embodiment of the invention, the cavity may have an interior portion that is wider than the outlet through which the cavity is accessed from the outside, which allows a bolt or nut to be positioned within the cavity to facilitate attachment.

Still referring to FIG. 2, the ceiling panel includes a ceiling surface 320 which may be decorative in nature that is designed to present an attractive surface to look at from a room below. The ceiling panel may include another surface 310 that may or may not be decorative in nature that on installation faces the supporting structure but not the room below. The ceiling panel and panels also generally include outer edges 330. While the ceiling panels are shown to be square, they may be non-square rectangles or other shapes such as triangles or other polygons that are substantially planar with outer edges 230 as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the rail body receives a clip 100 that is attached to it. The clip is an outwardly biased spring that when installed as shown in the rail 100 provides a pair of boundary faces. A first boundary face makes contact with the surface 310 of a ceiling panel. The second boundary face of the clip makes contact with an outer edge 330 of the panel. As the panel impinges on the second boundary face of the clip during installation of the panel, the clip produces an outward spring compressive force against the outer edge 330 of the ceiling panel.

FIGS. 3A-3C depict additional views of an embodiment of the clip 100. Referring to FIG. 3A, the clip includes first 120 and second 110 boundary surfaces that facilitate supporting a ceiling tile against the rails 200. The clip may include a hole 140 as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C to facilitate attaching the clip to the rail using a nut, screw, bolt, rivet, nail or other fastener. The clip itself may comprise a metal or plastic body that is molded or bent as shown with multiple surfaces. A curved portion 130 creates a spring force when the clip is compressed against itself. The spring force may be set at any value desired to secure the ceiling tiles in place. Additionally, the force should not be so great as to damage or break the ceiling panels themselves. The clip may have multiple planes as shown or fewer planes. Generally, the first boundary surface of the clip is positioned above the supporting edge of the rail by a distance that is equal to or exceeds the width of a ceiling panel.

During an installation, four rails as shown in FIG. 2 may be mounted to a ceiling or support structure with each end of a rail being substantially proximally located to an end of another rail at a ninety degree angle so that the rails are arranged to create a substantially square or rectangular opening between interior supporting edges. The rails may be positioned so that the opening between supporting edges is smaller than the dimension of a square panel by at least the width of a supporting edge. In this manner, when a square panel is positioned on top of the supporting edges of four rails configured as a square, there is overlap between the panel and the supporting edges allowing the panel to be supported by the rails. Additionally, the panel may get some additional support from the first boundary edge of each of the clips positioned along each of the rails. Additionally, for panel removal, a square panel may be slid along the supporting edge in two dimensions until the panel hits the rail body of two of the rails. This enables the panel to be extracted through the hole between the supporting edges from the room below.

FIG. 4 depicts a method according to one embodiment of the method. Referring to FIG. 4, in step 400, installing mounting rails is performed. This installation is accomplished by positioning the rails to create an opening with the supporting edges. Generally this can be done by creating a series of square, rectangular or other shaped openings in a pitch to create the effect of multiple panels in a drop type ceiling. The rails are spaced apart such that the ceiling panel to be installed between multiple rails has a dimension that exceeds the dimension of the opening formed by the supporting edges of adjacent rails by at least the width of the supporting edge. The ceiling panel is generally larger in size than the hole so that the supporting edges provide support along each of the edges of the ceiling panel.

Clips are then selected for installation on the rails in step 410. Generally, at least one clip is used for each rail deployed. The clips may be placed anywhere along the rail at convenient locations. One choice is to select one clip per rail that is situated and installed along a rail at the center of each opening formed by adjacent rails that is to receive a ceiling panel.

In step 420, the clips are installed or mounted on the rails. This may be done with a screw, nut, bolt or other fastener or may be done using other techniques such as glue, welding or riveting or other similar techniques. In step 430, one or more panels are mounted on the supporting edges of the installed rail structure into each opening as described above. In this manner, a drop ceiling with multiple ceiling panels may be installed to create a ceiling with removable panels that are accessible from the room one at a time without breaking a panel or the panel support structure.

FIG. 5 depicts a method of removing a ceiling panel according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, a technician or other person identifies a ceiling panel for temporary removal. Then in step 520, the technician takes hold of the panel, optionally with a suction cup tool. However, any other tool or the technician's hands may be used to slide or manipulate the ceiling panel sideways in two dimensions. In step 520, the panel is slide in two dimensions to depress the clips. Thus the panel may be slid to the left and to the rear from the technician's perspective to allow the outer edges of the panel to clear the supporting edges on the right and the front outer edges of the panel. The panel may then be extracted through the hole in step 530.

The rails, clips and panels may be made of plastic, metal, or any other desired material.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that changes may be made to those embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, the ceiling panels may have any desired shape that is substantially planar. Similarly, the techniques for attaching the panels may be changed from those shown and the edge profiles, the shape of the body, cavities and threaded cavities may each be changed to any desired configuration that still allows support and extraction as described herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A rail assembly, comprising: at least one rail having an elongated body, a supporting edge protruding along the length of the body and a threaded cavity along the length opening adjacent to the supporting edge; a clip having an outward spring bias, the clip including an adjacent pair of boundary faces; at least one ceiling panel, the ceiling panel having a ceiling side and outer edges; wherein the panel securely fits between the supporting edge and one of the pair of boundary faces of the clip and the other boundary face impinges on an edge of the panel applying a spring loaded compressive force to the edge of the panel.
 2. The rail assembly according to claim 1, comprising: at least four of the at least one rail mounted on a ceiling forming a substantially enclosed shape with the supporting edges, wherein the supporting edge of each of the rails has a width; and wherein the outer edges of the ceiling panel overlap the enclosed shape by a length that is less than the width allowing the ceiling panel to be removed by compressing the clips in two dimensions.
 3. The rail assembly according to claim 2, wherein: the ceiling panel is a square.
 4. The rail assembly according to claim 2, wherein: the ceiling panel is a non-square, rectangle that when aligned with the shape of the supporting edges presents the overlap length between its outer edges and the corresponding supporting edge.
 5. The rail assembly according to claim 4, wherein the clip includes a hole for allowing a screw to hold the clip in place and screw into the threaded cavity.
 6. The rail assembly according to claim 5, wherein the body of the rail further comprises a second cavity that facilitates hanging the rail.
 7. The rail assembly according to claim 6, wherein the body of the rail further comprises a third cavity that facilitates attaching material to the rail.
 8. The rail assembly according to claim 7, wherein the third cavity is threaded.
 9. A method of using a rail assembly to hang a drop ceiling, comprising: installing at least one rail having an elongated body, a supporting edge protruding along the length of the body and a threaded cavity along the length opening adjacent to the supporting edge; selecting at least one clip having an outward spring bias, the at least one clip including an adjacent pair of boundary faces; attaching the at least one clip to the rail; mounting a ceiling panel having a ceiling side and outer edges to the at least one rail; wherein the panel securely fits between the supporting edge and one of the pair of boundary faces of the clip and the other boundary face impinges on an edge of the panel applying a spring loaded compressive force to the edge of the panel.
 10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising installing at least four of the at least one rail mounted on a ceiling forming a substantially enclosed shape with the supporting edges, wherein the supporting edge of each of the rails has a width; and wherein the outer edges of the ceiling panel overlap the enclosed shape by a length that is less than the width allowing the ceiling panel to be removed by compressing the clips in two dimensions.
 11. The method according to claim 10, further wherein: the ceiling panel is a non-square, rectangle that when aligned with the shape of the supporting edges presents the overlap length between its outer edges and the corresponding supporting edge.
 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the clip includes a hole for allowing a screw to hold the clip in place and screw into the threaded cavity.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the body of the rail further comprises a second cavity that facilitates hanging the rail.
 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the body of the rail further comprises a third cavity that facilitates attaching material to the rail.
 15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the body of each rail further includes a pair of adjacent edges allowing panels to be mounted on either side of each rail.
 16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the third cavity is threaded.
 17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the cutout of the adapter is offset in relation to it body. 